Action for Healthy Kids: Wellness Tool

7. Implement the Policy

Your Objectives

In many respects, the real work, and value, of the policy development team begins when a policy is in place. Obviously, the policy is a means to an end: what you are actually trying to achieve are healthier, happier kids, equipped with an understanding of nutrition and life-long habits of healthy living.

Usually, a policy will state the desired objectives in somewhat general or vague language: healthy foods on campus, more nutritious lunches, and more physical education.

Your work now is to come up with a plan for bringing these things about: new contracts with vendors, changes to the lunch menu, adjustments to the vending machines, modifications to the curriculum.

Steps for Implementing the Wellness Policy

• Develop action plan or procedures
• Establish a realistic time frame for the implementation of the plan, remembering that the wellness policy can be a phased-in approach and does not have to be implemented all at once
• Choose an individual who is responsible for evaluating and enforcing guidelines
• Find resources that are necessary to gain widespread approval by school staff, students, and the local community
• To identify areas for improvement, determine the indicators that will be used to accurately evaluate the implementation progress
• Conduct a review of the progress toward school wellness policy goals in order to identify areas for improvement
• Prepare and submit a yearly report to the School Board regarding the progress toward implementation of the school wellness policy and recommendations for any necessary revisions to the policy